The present invention generally relates to medical devices, and particularly to surgical implants used in the ocular region.
A large portion of gold or platinum conventional weight implants can post operatively (i.e., following surgical implantation) move over time. In one study this undesirable movement phenomenon was close to 40%. An example of a conventional weight implant 100 for use in a patient's eyelid is shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, post-operative movement of the implant 100 may cause a shift in the position of the implant to the outer edge 202 of the patient's eyelid 204. Thus, the current design does not favor stability. Further, the uniformity in shape and thickness of conventionally designed implants, such as that shown in FIG. 1, may create negative cosmetic effects. Such cosmetic effects 300 can be seen in FIG. 3. As depicted, often, patients may have different levels of visible indentations 302, 304, 306, 308 (i.e., mild to prominent) as a result of the implant. Moreover, conventional implants may be susceptible to extrusion, infection, and an inability to maintain weight within the lid.
Referring back to FIG. 1, the method of securing the implant 100 may be via small round holes 102. These small holes 102 make the suturing process more challenging, additionally, leaving little room for the development of scar tissue, which itself contributes to post operatively securing the implant in place.